The SPOLD Information System (SIS) was released in January 2000. This poster gives a quick survey of the system.
The poster describes SIS as a distributed system for finding and exchanging life cycle inventory (LCI) data. Its Internet-based Data Directory acted as a search engine, linking users to datasets stored on suppliers’ local web servers. The SPOLD Data Exchange Software provided local server-administration functions. It helped suppliers manage their datasets and keep the directory’s searchable information consistent with the data available on their servers.
The system was designed to support different access conditions. Suppliers could make unrestricted datasets publicly available or limit access to selected datasets and even individual data fields. Passwords and dataset-specific access texts described the conditions for obtaining restricted data. The poster also notes that the Data Directory was not limited to one data format, although users needed software capable of reading SPOLD files to use data supplied in that format.
For database managers and data-collection programmes, the poster identifies two practical benefits of collecting information directly in SPOLD format: reducing the later cost of converting data for publication, and making it easier to work with multiple data providers, consultants and compatible LCA software. The free SPOLD Data Exchange Software was one option for reading the files. The poster also names KCL-ECO and TEAM as examples of dedicated LCA software that supported the standard.
The poster dates the system’s release to January 2000 and describes the platform during its rollout. It refers to limited internal testing in its introduction, while its results section reports a functional platform released for general use. The poster therefore captures a transition in the system’s development. These details describe the project’s status and plans in 2000; they should not be taken as a description of current SPOLD services or the present-day software landscape.
The poster proposed a free, public search service for users and no charge for suppliers publishing unrestricted data. It said that operating costs would be covered by voluntary sponsors and by suppliers using SIS to distribute restricted data, including through subscriptions or access limited to selected users. SPOLD delegated the system’s administration to a self-organised forum made up of data suppliers. This approach was intended to combine broad access to the directory with supplier-defined conditions for access to individual datasets.
